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The Very Important Rules of Wearing Distressed Jeans

Lived-in jeans are a beautiful thing, but not everyone has the patience to wear raw denim every day for three years just to own the perfect pair. Luckily, there are plenty of pre-distressed options on the market some of which will only get better with age. Because we’ve seen too many stylish guys in the wrong jeans—distressing can go wrong, fast—here’s a guide to finding the ideal pair.
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    Don’t cheap out.

    You want to own them for a long, long time so now is not the time to impulse buy a $50 pair.

    RRL Jeans, $360, available at mrporter.com

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    Ideally, the distressing comes from you.

    At the very least, buy selvedge jeans that will continue to break in with age and wear.

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    No acid washed—ever.

    And if it looks like a sibling of acid-washed, get a second opinion.

    River Island Jeans, $40, available at riverisland.com

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    When in doubt, tread lightly.

    You don’t need paint splatters, tears, fading and patches on the same pair of jeans. Keep it light.

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    If you want to go big, go Japanese selvedge.

    Serious distressing is best left to the denim industry gods.

    Frabric-Brand & Co Jeans, $495, available at mrporter.com

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    Don’t wear them with just anything.

    Reserve your broken-in jeans for your favorite T-shirts, sneakers and knits—skip the tux jacket.

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    Remember: Fit plays a part.

    The right distressing can be undermined by the wrong cut. Be weary of skin tight and overly baggy fits.

    Levi's Made & Crafted Jeans, $195, available at mrporter.com

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    Know when they’ve got one too many tears.

    Toss ‘em once you can see large portions of your knees—or other things.

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